A senior Government official has said Vietnam attaches importance to preserving cultural heritages while boosting industrialisation, modernisation and international integration.

Addressing the Asia Cultural Cooperation Forum (ACCF) 2011 that opened in Hong Kong on Oct. 8 (VNA), , said Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai said Vietnam has built a strategy to preserve and bring into play values of intangible cultural heritages and vision to 2020.

The Vietnamese Government and people have promoted regional and international cooperation and learnt experiences in the conservation of culture of humanity, he said.

As a result, activities to preserve intangible cultural heritages in Vietnam have been expanded from building a legal system, enhancing financial investment and educating young generations to building dossiers on intangible cultural heritages for submission to the UNESCO for recognition.

Hai also acknowledged Vietnam is facing a number of difficulties and challenges in the protection of intangible cultural heritages such as the lack of professional staff and the community’s involvement in conservation projects and programmes.

The ACCF 2011 themed “Intangible cultural heritages – Continuation and Enhancement” will last through Oct. 11./.